Pumpkin Sunrise

My sister gave me those lovely project bags (that she made!) and the quince yarn and that wee button for my Christmas or birthday gift.  Sadly I cannot recall since we exchange our birthday gifts during the Christmas exchange.  I have been heavily hinting that I wanted some project bags.  This was the hint:  'hey sis, I really want you to sew me a project bag' .  When we were at the fiber festival, I pointed out several that I wanted her to make me.   See?  That's how you get it done.  Anyways, I put some pretty red wool in the red project bag, gearing up for casting on some socks for my daughter. My husband gets his stitches out of his hand tomorrow morning - hallelujah!  These two weeks have been challenging.  I'm ready for him to resume all previous duties that were agreed upon when we married.  I'm sure he is more than ready to take a shower without wrapping up his hand to keep dry. socks to be!  I've been ...

Over the Thanksgiving break, I cast on the tiny tea leaves cardigan for the toddler girl I baby sit.  Oh my goodness!  This is a fast sweater to knit up and super fun.  I am already on the second sleeve as of last night.  I forget then remember how fast knitting for a tiny person can go.  Dare I dream of finishing today? Well, maybe... My Ravelry project page and notes are here

We were with my side of the family this weekend.  What a full weekend!  We spent Thanksgiving day at my dad's house and ate too much food and exchanged our gifts since we do not travel during the Christmas break.  We were fortunate to have all of us attending this year.  As our families grow, our schedules are filled with visiting many relatives. my dad's dog Emma  My husband and I stayed at my sister's house for a couple of days and the 'kids' (grown adults now) stayed with my nephew at his house.  My sister and I had a lovely time out shopping on Black Friday at the places that have thinner crowds.  Apparently not everyone crafts.  I had the BEST salad ever when we ate out.  This wave of 'big' salads chopped or un-chopped is my kind of thing.  I'm on the left my sister is on the right  Friday evening was the annual gingerbread house making party with my aunt and cousins.  I like to sit and talk to my relatives ...

Giving thanks for: -reading time and knitting time and when they coincide -the patience to rip out and redo a knitting pattern (third time is a charm) -family gathering to celebrate -special diets - lactose free, gluten free, vegan and vegetarian - I don't mind making two gravies. -dreary days where I can knit more -adult children who are not very far at all -chocolate anything -my husband and my children -my sister -pencils, pens and special notebooks -green beans -a clean kitchen Happy Thanksgiving to all of you celebrating!

I cannot believe this shawl is finished - I did over half of the knitting in a ten day period.  My motivation or dangling that proverbial carrot stick was to put a clipping marker every day I worked on it so I could see my daily progress.  I started this in July!  My knitting attention apparently was elsewhere. Being a nerd, I also crunched some estimated numbers once I had four days worth of 'data' to go on.  This gave me the motivation that I needed, that and a deadline looming. I usually knit while watching TV or reading a book with simpler knitting projects.  Because of the eyelet columns, this project was strictly for TV or podcast listening.  The pattern is great for beginner lace knitters if you are looking at branching out in knitting skills. I love how blocking makes every single wool project look finished and polished.  Soaking a lace project in wool wash for 20 minutes makes the wool bloom then blocking evens out uneven stitch...

How was your weekend?  Mine was packed full of 'busy'.  But the good kind, you know?  On Saturday, our son arrived by lunchtime and then we were off to find some red wool for the toddler baby girl.  I found it!  phew - I can mentally cross of that to do.  When I get something in my mind, I am unstoppable!  I can't start her sweater until I finish the last hat.  The last hat will be finished today or tomorrow, I promise.  Last night we started watching Stranger Things on Netflix and I'm hooked.  I love that it is PG 14 (my mental age for scary movies).  The show reminds me a bit of Dr. Who with the amount of suspense.  All good! These photos are showing how messy my studio gets when I am wrapping and in the midst of creating.  Just keeping it real around here.  There is no perfect - even in the blogging world. Today, I attended 7:30 a.m. Mass.  I really enjoy church in the early morning hours and...

I'm thrilled to report that I'm finished (finished!) with the shawl.  Phew.  I was a little worried last week but then I hunkered down and focused.  It's amazing how much I can get done when I am trying my best.  I listened to a lot of podcasts and during the evening I exclusively knit on the shawl while watching TV.  Sadly, I cannot read a book while knitting this project.  Hopefully I'll be blocking over the weekend. My gym visits are getting more challenging and I'm sore in a good kind of way.  I haven't had any back spasms for a solid week and I haven't taken Tylenol either for the week.   This is serious progress that makes me happy.  My RA is behaving and so I just show up at the gym and try to do what he tells me to do. I love feeling proactive about my health.  Control freaks tend to be like that.  Frodo is extra fluffy and has lots of knots   Call me crazy, but I have an insane idea to knit a ...

Boom!  Another hat done and I've cast on another one going up a needle size.  This is the project that I work on in the early morning while doing my daily Mass readings and prayers.  I'd like to knit two more of these hats before Thanksgiving.  Ah, the suspense of whether I will succeed or not! The shawl that I mentioned last week gets all my attention in the afternoons and evenings if my schedule permits.  I have high hopes of finishing this shawl by Friday. Placing markers every day before I pick it up to knit really helps me see the daily progress and I can keep measuring and doing my math.  Having concrete numbers takes away my panic and dread that I shamefully embraced last Wednesday.  I can do it! What are you knitting this week?  Making progress?

Another weekend, phew!  I spent yesterday morning cheating at my tags with some stickers and new washi tape that has Christmas themes.  I also unearthed the hole puncher from my one of many junk drawers (I've got three!).  I was in Michael's when I spied those wee stickers and boy was I in a super festive mood.  I figured it out why... They were playing Christmas music and I smelled some of that cinnamon pinecone scent that just screams the holiday season.  Ah.  I love it!  I had a great weekend,  my husband and I walked each day in the freezing cold and chatted.  I sat and knit for long pockets of time chipping away at that shawl that is on my needles and I hope is off my needles by next weekend. Our internet is being really 's l o w' right now so I'm furiously typing thinking I can post this when the signal is back.  Just so you know, I would rather have spotty internet than no electricity so I'm not currently los...

All you summer lovers better close your eyes because this post has some serious snow photos.  Finally earlier this week we had our first snow event.  I sat inside in the afternoon and watched big fat flakes fall while chatting with my daughter on the phone.  Later while cooking dinner, I glanced outside again and saw the snow on the ground.  Unbelievable and so beautiful. The first snowfall reminds me of childhood and wishing for a snow day and staying home from school, the nearness of the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, and the serene quiet that accompanies cold weather.  I am blessed in that I do not suffer from the darkness that descends with the time change.  I love the cozy feeling and the hibernating effect. All of this snow melted before I went to bed on the same day, but while it was there, ah - I was happy.  Thank you for you words of wisdom on self imposed deadlines.  I sometimes need an attitude check and your comments...